Asif meets up with Johnson

ISLAMABAD: Foreign minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif met secretary of state for foreign and commonwealth affairs Boris Johnson, on the sidelines of the commonwealth heads of government meeting (CHOGM-2018) in London, on Tuesday, the two leaders reviewed progress in bilateral relations and reiterated commitment to further strengthening these ties by enhancing trade, promoting investment and creating greater opportunities for educational and cultural cooperation.

According to an official statement, Johnson said the United Kingdom (UK) greatly valued its partnership with Pakistan and was keen to further augment it. The two sides discussed regional and global issues.

Johnson particularly appreciated Pakistan’s counter-terrorism (CT) achievements and efforts to bring peace and security in the region.

Asif briefed Johnson on the current state of Pakistan- India relations, situation in the Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir, and ceasefire violations (CFVs) along the line of control (LoC) and working boundary (WB) by the Indian side.

Asif invited Johnson to visit Pakistan for the next round of the enhanced strategic dialogue (ESD) between the two countries, which Johnson accepted.